


Stagnant

by wacomintuos



Category: Prototype (Video Games)
Genre: F/M, Gen, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-15
Updated: 2016-11-15
Packaged: 2018-08-31 04:37:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,112
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8564344
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wacomintuos/pseuds/wacomintuos
Summary: She shouldn't have to compete with a virus.





	

**Author's Note:**

> I don't even like Karen Parker but screw that I'm writing about her lmao
> 
> Edit: changed mentions of DX-111 to DX-1118 bc im a plonker and if I checked the game I wouldn't have got it wrong

And, there it is: a pulsating blob wriggling around on his hand, curling around his fingers. He lets out a sound of excitement that makes Karen frown, staring at it through the glass. 

DX-1118 isn't strong enough to be dangerous yet, but for testing purposes it needs to be in quarantine conditions just in case anything bad happens. That doesn't seem to put Alex off, however, and so he happily spends half of his day in the glass room playing with the virus, treating it like liquid gold, or maybe even a small child. Karen doesn't like it- it's not a toy, it's a virus and although it might be dormant just now, it's killed people before and it will do in the future. 

It makes her sad to see Alex- Doctor Mercer- so happy and enthusiastic about this. He's named the variant “Blacklight” and Karen can only pretend she knows why. It's just… She should be happy for him, he's her boyfriend and all, and yet. He doesn't smile like this for her. Alex only smiles like this for a bio-weapon, and that's so him. He cares more about a virus than he does about her. 

Now that's hardly fair, she knows, but then again, Karen's known him for years now and all this time he's been working with the virus, but now that he's created this strain, he spends all of his time with it, admiring it, studying it. He barely even talks to her anymore. So, she does have some reason to be upset. 

It's selfish, of course- this is Alex’s life's work- but Karen can't help but be bitter. The man is laughing now as Blacklight crawls all over his lab coat, and he's like an entirely different person. He's always been distant to her, going stiff when she tries to hug him and turning his head so that she kisses his cheek, not his lips. She's pretended not to notice it for a while now because Alex is a great guy but this feels like being kicked in the stomach. 

Karen taps on the glass and Alex glances up at her, his face quickly becoming the pinnacle of professionalism. He straightens as he stands up, taking Blacklight in his hand. It clings to his skin, then shifts and ripples, trying to replicate the exact colour or his wrist. It ends up turning a few shades too light, but Alex notices the attempt and his entire face brightens, his free hand reaching out to pet it fondly. Karen sighs. “Are you done for the day?” She asks into the intercom, and Alex clears his throat, becoming calm and unfeeling again. 

“I think I'll be another half hour, Doctor Parker,” he replies. “This is an interesting development, it's becoming sentient.” Blacklight pulsates again, reverting to its previous state of a writhing mass of black and red. Karen grinds her teeth as she sits back in her observation seat. 

She's only here because Alex asked her to be. Only here because she cares about him so damn much. She has other research she needs to do, but no. Apparently nobody else had time to keep an eye on him. 

Maybe this is his way of telling her he loves her. Maybe he doesn't trust anyone apart from her to do this for him. Maybe Karen's being overly optimistic. She sighs again as Alex coos at the variant DX-1118, telling it how perfect and wonderful and magnificent it is. Telling it that it's a miracle of science. “Alex,” she mumbles into the intercom, “you know I love you, right?” 

Alex gives her a noncommittal nod, and an “uh huh”. No other response than to immediately switch his attention to the viral strain. It's hard for Karen to pretend that she doesn't see Alex flinch, then stiffen uncomfortably. It lasts barely even a second, but his reaction is crystal clear. No “I love you”, no “you too, babe”, just an “uh huh” and silence. 

She nods back, then runs her hands through her hair. Karen picks up her cell phone- one of those fancy ones with a camera and a picture viewer and an MP3 player and all that. She goes through all the files to find that one photo of her and Alex, the one that he has framed in his apartment. He doesn't like having photos taken of him, just important ones, so this is a rare blessing. 

He looks so relaxed here when he's not wearing glasses and a lab coat. Karen remembers that day so well- she'd just finished that article on genetic engineering and Alex brought over champagne and a box of ice cream to celebrate. He'd held her hand and kissed her gently and he'd been so proud of her and for once, everything was so perfect. 

That was… Three years ago now. He's not like that anymore, not to her. Karen puts her cell phone in the drawer beside her, wishing Alex hadn't ever been assigned to Blacklight in the first place. Then perhaps they'd still have the bones of a relationship. 

“I…” She sighs again. She seems to be sighing so much, so often, and she doesn't know why. She presses the intercom button again. “Alex, honey, I'm gonna go home now, okay? I gotta make something for dinner and then I have work to do. This is my overtime as it is.”

“Okay,” Alex replies. After a few seconds, he continues. “Is it really getting that late?”

“Yeah, maybe you should put Blacklight back now. It's almost six. Look, I gotta go, but I'll get Doctor Anders to help you out of the box.” Karen shrugs as she picks up her ID card, fixing it onto the lanyard around her neck. Alex frowns a little, his brow furrowing, but soon turns back to Blacklight when it crawls up his neck. A little too close, if you ask Karen. 

“Okay,” Alex says again. “Oh, and if you see him on the way home, get McMullen in here. I need to ask him something.” 

“Cool, then I'll see you later then.” The conversation is stilted, awkward, and Karen is all too glad to leave the room. This isn't how a couple should be, this isn't how anyone should be. She shouldn't have to compete with a virus, for god’s sake. 

She cringes at the sound of Alex's laughter as she locks the door. She's not the virus and she never will be and Alex won't ever pay her as much attention as he does his beloved DX-1118. “I love you,” she says bitterly, knowing Alex can't hear her anymore. 

Not that it makes any difference.

**Author's Note:**

> Poor Karen shouldn't have to deal with Alex's shit


End file.
